Car-vestibule diaphragm



Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. MUSSEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORTO PULLMAN CAIRAND MANU- FACTURING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CAR-VESTIBULE DIAPHRAGM Application filed August 9, 1929. Serial No. 384,562.

pended by pairs of rods secured to the lower ends of the diaphragms at the bufiing line and 1 to the car body at points adjacent the roof to relieve the bufi'er stems of the weight of the diaphragms. When the diaphragms have been suspended by pairs of rods secured to the lower ends of the diaphragms, slight discrepancies in the lengths of the respective supporting rods would resolve themselves into a proportionately great displacement of the diaphragm at the upper end resulting. from the lateral tilting of the diaphragm face plate toward the longer rod.

The tilting of the face plate manifests itself in the unbalanced action of the dia-,

phragm in response to carmovement about curves in the track, during which period the diaphragm face plate connection with the upper bulfer device and the buffer stems at the sill are exposed to severe wrenching stresses resulting from such face platedisplacement.

Efiorts have been made to remedy this difficulty by providing means for the initial and minute adjustment of hanger rods secured to the lower ends of the diaphragm face plates, but as some form of resilient connection is required in suspensions of this char-.

' acter to compensate for the surging and lag ingmovements of the coupled cars, such rehnements of adjustment are futile and merely palliative since-they do not eliminate the source of the difficulties encountered.

It is the special province, of this invention to overcome the objections above noted and others by suspending the diaphragm face plate from above a point intermediate its upper and lower ends, whereby the greater partof the face plateextends from the point of attachment of the sus ension means socured to it, to its lower en resulting ina di-f minishedtextension therefrom to :the upper bufling device. lhis condition is effected by the use of relatively short hangers arranged upon opposite sides of the diaphragm and secured at their respective upper ends to the car body adjacent the roof, and terminating with their respective lower ends at the diaphragm face plate at a point above the center of gravity of the diaphragm. Such disposition of the suspension means operates to restrain outward movement of the upper end of the diaphragm against the action of the upper bufiing device and permits a quick resaoration of the diaphragm to normal position. To avoid prematuredestruction of the stems and stem bearings caused by the pinching of the stems upon localized areas of relatively short hearings in the buffer sill, bearings having extended contactareas throughout the zone of stem movement have been provided. so that diaphragm pressure, when exerted. will be uniformly distributed over the stem and bearing areas to prolong the. life of these parts. I v The foregoing and other objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 1s a dual v1ew showing at the right hand, a frontelevation of the diaphragm and suspension means, and at the left, a vertical sectional view taken on line 1-1, of Figure 2, with the diaphragm face plate-removed to show the relationof the single piston upper buifing device and the suspension means at the upper end of the diaphragm, and exposing the separately formed and removable stem bearings secured to the buffer sill; v

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the diaphragm with a portion thereof below the suspension shown in vertical section taken on line 22, of Figure ,1, to illustrate the separate extended stem bearings secured to the buffer sill; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinally of the spring and rod hangers employed.

In said drawings, 10 represents a railway car equipped with the device of this invention, and 11 is the face plate of the diaphragm.

fragmentary sectional view usual canvas diaphragm enclosure 12 forming the vestibule passageway. The diaphragm face plate 11 is secured at its lower end to buffer face plate 13 having operative engagement with buffer side and center stems 14 and 15, respectively, in the buffer sill 18. The bufler stems have supportirespectively in bearings l6 removably secured to the buffer sill by rivets 9. The base portions'l'? of the bearings project forwardly beyond the upper portions thereof to provide supports for the diaphragm structure substantially in the plane of its center of gravity and extend rearwardly for preferably the width of the buffer sill 18 to afford extended contact areas for substantially the full length of the stems.

The extended bearings 16 are rendered possible by the use of hanger rods 19 and 20 secured respectively to car 10 and diaphragm face plate 11 at points above the center of gravity of the diaphragm. The upper rods 19 are removably secured to brackets 21 on the car by pins 22 and the lower rods 20 to brackets 23 on the diaphragm face plate 11 by ins 2 1. The respectively adjacent upper and lower rods are coupled by springs 25 having contracted end portions 26 coiled about frusto-conic heads 27 formed on the. respective rods to provide the necessary resiliency required to permit relative weaving movements of diaphragms and adjacent coupled cars.

To facilitate rapid return of the diaphragm face plate to normal position, the suspension rods 19 and 20 are given an adequate slope in planes transversely of the car from the upper brackets 21 on the car inwardly to the brackets 23 on the diaphragm. Such disposition of the rods prevents abnormal lateral movement of the diaphragm with respect to the upper bufiing device 28 and consequent distortion of the bufling device .connections and resultant pinching of the buffer stems 14 and 15 upon the bearin s 16 in the buffer sill 18, as before noted. bviously, the extent of the slope given the hang er rod's laterally with respect to the face plate 11 will determine the speed with which the diaphragm resumes its normal position on the car and its responsiveness to car movement.

By disposing the hangers above the center ,of gravity ofthe diaphragm as described, it is quite feasible, when necessary, to utilize adjusting devices 29 .on the hangers for the 1 pur ose of regulating diaphragm pressure on the uifer stems 14 and 15 without unduly tilting the face plate 11' or distorting upper bufling mechanism 28, because of the relatively slight movement of the face plate required above its center of gravity to effect the properbalance of face plate and associated partsr I By the arrangement of the diaphragm as above outlined, there has been provided the means for yieldably supporting diaphragm.

face plates in uprightposition by the operation of gravity, and without sacrificin the advantages inherent in-rod suspensions eretofore proposed. By shortening the hangers, the weight of the installatidn, and the cost of materials and application have been materially reduced.

What I claim is:

i 1. The combination in a railway car, of a vestibule diaphragm comprising a face plate and an enclosure connecting the face plate and car body, and suspension means terminating with their lower ends above the center of gravity of said face plate for securing the diaphragm to the car and to yieldably restrain outward moveinent of said face plate.

2. The combination in a railway car, of a. vestibule diaphragm comprising a face plate and an enclosure connecting the face plate and car body, and suspension means having upper and lower rods secured at one endirespectively to the car body and the diaphragm above the center of gravity of said face plate to yieldably restrain outward movement thereof.

3. The combination in a railway car, of a vestibule diaphragm comprising a face plate and an enclosure connecting the face plate and car body, suspension hangers on opposite sides of said diaphragm comprising each a pair of rods secured respectively to the face plate ata point above its center of gravity springs coiled about said heads.

5. The combination in a railway car, of a vestibule diaphragm including a face plate, and suspension hangers pivotally secured to said face plate and car body on o posite sides of the diaphragm and inclined downwardly and inwardly towards the respective'sides of the diaphragm to yieldably oppose outward movement of said face plate. Y

6. The combination in a railway car, of a vestibule diaphragm including a face plate, and suspension hangers pivotally secured to said face plate and'car body on opposite sides of the d1aphragm, "said hangers being inclined downwardly and inwardly towards the respective sides of the diaphragm and terminating at the face plate above its center of gravity to yieldably oppose outward m ovement thereof.

I 7 The combination in a railway car, of a lag) Cit

suspension hangers upon opposite sides of the diaphragm securing said diaphragm to the car body and terminating with their lower ends at the face plate above its center of gravity, buffer stems operatively engaging the lower end of said face plate, a buffer sill, and elongated stem bearings removably mounted in said sill.

In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand this 6th day of August, 1929.

WILLIAM H. MUSSEY. 

